The suffering is finally over . . .
“Chronic Pain & Chronic Fatigue Patients Jump For Joy”
Which Fibromyalgia Symptoms Would You Like To Get Rid of First?
You and I both know that when you suffer from chronic pain and chronic fatigue it’s almost impossible to enjoy the things in life that most healthy folks take for granted. Your children, grandchildren…. your spouse….your work (for those of us who love to work)…intimate time with your significant other…and even eating can become a chore. How long has it been since you really felt like a normal, healthy, vibrant human being? If you’re like most who suffer with chronic pain and/or chronic fatigue….life can really become a drag! Especially in the warm summer months when so many others are out, active and enjoying their pastimes.
Fibromyalgia simply means a condition which is characterized by pain in the muscles and soft tissue fibers of the body. According to a paper published by the American College of Rheumatology, Fibromyalgia affects up to 18 million – or as many as one in 20 Americans. Up to 90% of those diagnosed are women between the ages of 40 and 60 years old.
Chronic widespread body pain is the primary symptom of Fibromyalgia. Most people with Fibromyalgia also experience moderate to extreme fatigue, sleep disturbances, sensitivity to touch, light, and sound, and cognitive difficulties. Many individuals also experience a number of other symptoms and overlapping conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome, lupus, restless leg syndrome and arthritis. Many Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) patients have been previously diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Diagnosis of FM can be difficult. Currently there are no laboratory tests available for diagnosing Fibromyalgia. Doctors must rely on patient histories, self-reported symptoms, a physical examination and an accurate manual tender point examination. This exam is based on the standardized American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria. Proper implementation of the exam determines the presence of multiple tender points at characteristic locations.
It is estimated that it takes an average of five years for an FM patient to get an accurate diagnosis. Many doctors are still not adequately informed or educated about FM. Laboratory tests often prove negative and many FM symptoms overlap with those of other conditions, thus leading to extensive investigative costs and frustration for both the doctor and patient. Another essential point that must be considered is that the presence of other diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, does not rule out an FM diagnosis. Fibromyalgia is not a diagnosis of exclusion and must be diagnosed by its own characteristic features.
To receive a diagnosis of FM, the patient must meet the following diagnostic criteria:
- Widespread pain in all four quadrants of the body for a minimum duration of three months.
- Tenderness or pain in at least 11 of the 18 tender points when pressure is applied.
Hormone imbalance is another important factor contributing to Fibromyalgia. As women approach peri-menopause in their early 30’s to late 40’s, hormone levels of DHEA, estrogen and testosterone decline. Excessive stress can accelerate the decline in adrenal hormones, testosterone and estradiol leading to an increase in inflammation.
The adrenal glands are located on the top of each of the kidneys. Adrenal glands contribute to the production of many hormones, including cortisol, DHEA, steroid hormones, neurotransmitters norepinephrine, epinephrine, and others.
When women are under physical, emotional or environmental stress, cortisol is released from the Adrenal glands in response to stress. When the adrenal glands become chronically stressed over time there is a decline in production of cortisol that leads to an increase in inflammation. The symptoms of menopause can be worsened by adrenal stress as more and more of the female hormones come off of the adrenal gland as a woman approaches menopause. Glucocorticoids produced by the adrenal gland help regulate blood sugar. When blood sugar is too low symptoms of hypoglycemia can occur, affecting Fibromyalgia symptoms.
Since Fibromyalgia symptoms may have a different cause or combination of causes in different people, treatment protocols may be variable for individual FM sufferers. Different FM sufferers may have different results with the same treatment. There are no specific medications for Fibromyalgia and all too often FM patients end up in pain management as a last resort.
There are some nutritional options that have been helpful. Reducing the number of simple sugars (carbohydrates, table sugar, high fructose syrup, etc.) in the diet helps support the adrenal glands and manage blood sugar that may reduce the symptoms of Fibromyalgia. Restoring normal adrenal function with Magnesium Malate has been studied in treating FM. Malic acid is important in the body’s energy production; the muscle fatigue of FM may be reduced when therapeutic doses of Magnesium and Malic acid are used over a reasonable treatment duration. Balancing hormones naturally using Bioidentical hormones can be very good in treating adrenal stress and its resulting complex of symptoms. I have been helping women for over a decade balance hormones naturally and have much experience in this area.
There is a new non-invasive test for Fibromyalgia that may produce relief of symptoms that could last days, minutes or even weeks. Available for the first time in Florida, it will now be offered in Maitland at The Bolick Clinic of ChiropracticWellness. People who respond well to the test are typically good candidates for this new treatment regimen. Even if you think you know all about Fibromyalgia, you will learn something new, as this has never been available in this area. If you have had failed courses of medical treatment, chiropractic or otherwise you definitely want to come and get tested and see if this is right for you. This test has also gotten results for many suffering with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) and Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS).
Even if you don’t have Fibromyalgia there are many other conditions we may successfully treat like: migraines, chronic pain, neck pain, shoulder/arm pain, whiplash from car accidents, backaches, ear infections, asthma, allergies, numbness in limbs, carpel tunnel syndrome athletic injuries, just to name a few.